Three Women Held at Gunpoint in Home Invasion

Published January 29th, 2014

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OCALA- It was the kind of "welcome wagon" that came with a ski mask and a gun. Just hours after they had moved into a new house, three women were robbed at gunpoint. It happened in Ocala on the 1200 block of northeast 23rd street.

Twenty-four-year- old Josie Alicea and 20- year -old Nilka Mercado moved into the home on Tuesday at around 8 p.m., with Josie’s sister Olga Alicea. Just four hours after moving in, they had some unwanted company. Two of the victims were standing outside the home when they noticed two people coming from their backyard. The men were wearing ski masks with skull designs on them.

"They brandished handguns, pointed them at the victims and yelled at them to get in the house. The men forced the victims in the house and to get down on their stomachs on the floor inside the house," said Sgt. Angy Scroble who is the Public Information Officer with the Ocala Police Department.

Sgt. Scroble said the men made Josie wake up her sister Olga who was sleeping on the couch.

Then the intruders forced Olga to search the entire home while holding a gun to her head.

"One was taken to a bedroom where the children were sleeping, four and five years old, to find valuables," said Sgt. Scroble.

The children slept through the robbery, but the men threatened to hurt the kids.

"They indicated there were a lot of obscenities screamed at them. You know you better find the valuables and give them to me. I’ll shoot the children, those sorts of threats being made," said Sgt. Scroble.

At one point, one of the men struck Josie in the head with his gun.

"While all three were made to lie on the ground and stay there, there was some indication that they could hear them talking to one another that a truck or car had arrived," said Sgt. Scroble.

Before running out the door, they told the women to count to 200. Police said the women's cooperation is what kept them alive.

The robbers got away with cell phones, cash and a 60 inch flat screen TV. Both men are black. One is five 5’8 heavy build and the other is thin about 5’6.